Skill: Performance
In her chosen area of expertise, such as music, dance or acting, the character has attained a notable level of ability and skill, but not necessarily success. She knows about the history of the art and probably has a broad repertoire of pieces to perform from a variety of time periods. Some of these areas may overlap, with Storyteller approval. For example, a character who plays musical instruments may have rudimentary knowledge of singing or composing music. *Note: This ability is often paired with the Background: Fame. Keep in mind that Performance is not a rating of prestige, as Fame is. If you want prestige, take points in Fame. *On Expression v. Performance: "Expression transmits information. This transmission can be done in a compelling and captivating way, designed to inspire or even persuade, but is entirely concerned with language. Performance is an act of representation which may use language, but is far more concerned with entertaining, displaying, and showmanship. An Actor with high Expression and low Performance may captivate with his voice but he does not become Romeo; he does not show the turmoil of a young man in love through face and action; he does not show. This same Actor may perhaps be better as the writer of a play, for he can illustrate with words the ephemeral nature of life, even if he could not display them to an audience in action. An Actor with high Performance and low Expression may show the weeping tears of a forlorn Juliet about to kill herself for love; her language may even be as beautiful as the Orator, but she did not craft those words. They are not hers. An Actor pretends and captivates; a performer displays and enthralls. A master of Expression speaks, and the masses listen - not because his voice is beautiful, or his performance showy, but because his words alone stir something inside of them, and compel them to weep." x Unskilled: You may be able to sing or act, but doing so in front of other people is just not your forte. • Novice: You perform out of your garage, for friends, in small-time school or community dramas. For Garou, you might occasionally perform for your Pack, but performing well in front of an entire Sept seems a terrifying proposition. •• Practiced: You're a regular in community theaters or the club circuit - a DJ with some skill, or a small-time actor called back continuously for small gigs. If a musician, you probably perform at local bars. For Garou, you might perform regularly for your tribe, and perhaps venture to do the same for other tribes and packs, but performing well in front of an entire Sept seems a tenuous proposition. ••• Competent: Perhaps you make your (meager) living voice-acting, or doing state-wide or maybe regional performances. Musicians might travel up and down the East or West coast of the US (or equivalent) to play in small gigs, but their ability is enough to justify them getting plenty of these. For Garou, playing for your tribe and other tribes is not a problem. Perhaps you perform for multiple tribes at once. You may have even been asked to act sing or dance at Moot, or some equivalent gig. •••• Expert: You have the ability and skill to perform regionally, if not nationally. You may not have fame and fortune, but by golly you've got passion, and your audience feels well the radiance of your stage presence; it is a performance they won't soon forget. For Garou, you have the ability to inspire your fellows to do great things with dance and song, perhaps reminding them of Gaia's love before they go off to battle to die messily and gloriously. ••••• Master: Your genius will be remembered long after your death, on the same level as the Beatles, Elvis, and so on. *Possessed by: Actors, Musicians, Dancers. *Expertise: Acting, Ballet, Ballroom Dance, Any Instrument, A Cappella Singing, Improvisation, Howls, Ventriloquism. *Specialties: Classical Style, Jazz Style, Rock Style, Russian Ballet, French Opera, Italian Opera, High Brow Entertainment.